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Miami RedHawks Hockey Welcome the St. Cloud State Huskies to Town

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Hockey

The Miami University ice hockey team continues the 2020-21 season this week as the RedHawks take on Saint Cloud State at home.

ABOUT LAST WEEKEND: Miami continued the regular travel portion of the schedule with a road trip last weekend to take on the Minnesota Duluth Bulldogs. The RedHawks were swept on the weekend, with the visitors finding the correct times to capitalize on both nights. Matthew Barbolini scored his team-leading fourth goal of the season on Friday in the third period. The RedHawks offense only saw one goal on Saturday as well, with Casey Gilling getting his second on the season. But, Ludvig Persson kept the game close in net, saving 55 saves in the game, breaking the NCHC record for most saves in a single game. Persson's 27 saves in the first period alone breaks the Miami record for most saves in a single period, as the old record was held in the Miami record books since 1989.

ABOUT SAINT CLOUD: The Huskies come to Oxford after splitting a home series with the Broncos of Western Michigan by scores of 5-1 and 4-5, respectively. Freshman, and reigning NCHC and NCAA Rookie of the Month Veeti Miettinen, still leads the team in scoring with 21 points on nine goals and 12 assists on the season. Junior defenseman Nick Perbix is second on the team scoring with 17 points on five goals and a team-high 12 assists. The Huskies have seven players with at least five goals on the season, led by Miettinen's nine. Nolan Walker, Jami Krannila, Easton Brodzinski, and Sam Hentges have seven, while Perbix and Kevin Fitzgerald both have five. SCSU has been averaging 3.32 goals per game, 16th-best in the NCAA. Defensively, St. Cloud State ranks 22nd in the nation and allows 2.68 goals per game. Senior David Hrenak has been the starter in net for SCSU, starting in 13 of the 17 games this season, including one game against the RedHawks this season. He holds a 2.63 goals-against average and a .908 save percentage. Sophomores Jaxon Castor saw action in the other game against Miami and has a 3-0-0 record, with a .903 save percentage and 2.00 GAA. The power-play unit for the Huskies is one of the best statistically, as SCSU is at 6th nationally on the power play at 24.6 percent (15-for-61). Their penalty kill is also a highlight, as St. Cloud State's penalty kill also ranks 10th in the nation at 86.1 percent (62-for-72).

QUITE A DEBUT: With sixteen games on the docket so far this season, all seven of the RedHawk rookies saw action in at least one game. Holland, Drazner, Barbolini, Rydqvist, and Cassetti have all scored their first career goals so far this season, and Drazner and Barbolini both have assists to go with their goals. With his .936 save percentage and 2.06 GAA, Persson one of the top-ranked rookie goaltenders in NCAA Division 1 hockey, ranking second among freshmen goaltenders in both statistical categories. Persson was named the NCHC Goaltender of the Week for 12/14, 12/21, and 1/4, along with being named December's Goaltender of the Month for the NCHC.

THE KIDS ARE ALRIGHT: After a significant senior class graduation and a bunch of other departures, there are many holes in the Miami lineup, and that's where the big freshman class comes in. With three forwards, three defenders, and one goaltender, the freshman class for 2020-21 is one of the most geographically diverse classes in Miami history. The rookie class includes: 

  • Hampus Rydqvist: Defender/Gothenburg, Sweden (Maryland Black Bears, NAHL)
  • Robby Drazner: Defender/Buffalo Grove, Ill. (Nanaimo Clippers, BCHL)
  • Michael Holland: Forward/Charlotte, N.C. (Boston Jr. Bruins, NCDC)
  • Brian Silver: Forward/Lake Bluff, Ill. (Omaha Lancers, USHL)
  • Dylan Moulton: Defender/Nolensville, Tenn. (Green Bay Gamblers, USHL)
  • Matthew Barbolini: Forward/Williamsville, N.Y. (Lincoln Stars, USHL)
  • Ludvig Persson: Goalie/Hindas, Sweden (Lone Star Brahmas, NAHL)

TOUGH COOKIES TO CRACK: With the NCHC sporting four teams ranked in the USCHO.com poll and one more receiving votes, the RedHawks figure to once again play one of the most challenging schedules in the country this season. The league is also already home to the past four national champions, which means its success will come down to how it performs against the nation's top teams. Last year, the Red & White played 11 games against teams that finished in the top 15 (2-8-1) and 16 against teams that finished in the top 20 (3-11-2). Miami met the #1 and #3 ranked teams in the country in the first week of action. The RedHawks have already seen two victories over ranked teams this season, getting a 1-0 win over #17/RV Omaha on December 12 and a 3-0 shutout victory over #8/7 Denver on December 17.

REWRITING RECORDS: Freshman goaltender Ludvig Persson had a record-breaking day at Minnesota Duluth on Saturday, racking up 55 saves in the 3-1 road loss. With 27 saves in the first period alone from the freshman, Persson breaks the Miami single-game record for most saves in a period, which is a record that has been held since 1989 (previously held by Lee Cannon, 11-18-89 vs. Western Michigan). Persson's 55 total saves in the road game is also a new NCHC record. 

HARD WORK, REWARDED: Miami freshman goaltender Ludvig Persson was named to the Mike Richter Award watch list, being one of seven freshmen named to the list. The Mike Richter Award is the award for the nation's top goaltender and is in the eighth year of existence. Persson, along with forward Matt Barry and defenseman Derek Daschke, was named to the Hobey Baker Fan Vote, where fans can vote for them at hobeybaker.com/vote among other players from across the NCAA.

OFFENSIVE DEFENSE: Of Miami's 37 goals this season, 14 have come from defensemen (37.8%), with seven different Miami blue liners finding the back of the net already. The 14 goals from RedHawk defensemen are second in the NCHC and are third in the NCAA.

SPECIAL PUCKS FEATURED AS PART OF CELEBRATING MIAMI: TRIBE & UNIVERSITY: Miami hockey will use special pucks as part of its Celebrating Miami: Tribe & University game, which showcases the relationship between Miami and the Myaamia Center. Over the past several years at Miami University, the athletic department has developed a strong partnership with the Myaamia Center, another outcome of the almost 50-year relationship between the Miami Tribe of Oklahoma and Miami University. The partnership began with education within Miami athletics and grew as they began to use the Myaamia Heritage Logo (MHL), a design released in 2017 that visually represents the relationship between the Miami Tribe and Miami University. The Myaamia Heritage Logo is part of the unique uniform design. More information can be found at MiamiOH.edu/MTR.

BACK BEHIND THE BENCH: Chris Bergeron (Miami '93) continues his tenure and is on the second season as a head coach. After starting fresh in Oxford, Bergeron and his staff finished the 2019-20 season (his first) with an 8-21-5 overall record. Before returning to Oxford, Bergeron went 171-154-44 in nine seasons as Bowling Green's head coach, leading the Falcons to their first NCAA Tournament appearance since 1990 in his final season in 2018-19. BGSU posted 20 or more victories in Bergeron's last five seasons at the helm. Before going to Bowling Green, Bergeron spent ten seasons as an assistant coach at Miami and helped the Red & White go an astounding 226-139-37 during his tenure. The RedHawks qualified for six NCAA Tournaments and reached the Frozen Four in Bergeron's last two seasons as an assistant, including a national runner-up finish in 2009. As a player, Bergeron spent two years as team captain and helped Miami capture its first CCHA title in 1992-93, posting 61 of his 120 career points that season.